# 65 or 69 RH



## steve2jenny (May 2, 2015)

Hello everyone. I have been storing my cigars in my two humidors at 69% humidity via Boveda packs for almost three months since starting this wonderful journey. I have electronic hygrometers that were calibrated with Boveda calibration packs and I switch them between the the two humidors to make sure everything is good. I have read several posts were 65% is preferred quite often. What would be the benifit of lowering to 65%? I have no burn issues and no bitter taste at 69%. I do however lack the flavors I read so much about. I have smoked Perdoma, La Palina, AJ Fernandez, Cohiba, Camacho, Tatuaja, Rocky Patell, etc. Would a lower RH bring out more flavors? Just checking on your thoughts on this subject. Thank you again for your help, as always.


----------



## StogieNinja (Jul 29, 2009)

Personally, I think your sticks will absolutely taste better at 65%. For me that difference really opens up the cigar. 

If it's not a Maduro or thick juicy wrapper, I prefer them even lower, like 62%. I keep my Cubans at 62% and the difference is dramatic.


----------



## Straight Up Cigars (Oct 18, 2009)

People generally recommend aging at 69/70 and then placing in a "dry box" at 65 or less prior to smoking.


----------



## pflau (Apr 22, 2015)

OK, that's is, I think I'm going to get a couple 65% Boveda and see if that makes a difference.


----------



## CraigT78 (Apr 14, 2015)

pflau said:


> OK, that's is, I think I'm going to get a couple 65% Boveda and see if that makes a difference.


You and me both. I have been sitting on 69% for a while now....I think my next shipment with be 65%. I have to see what all the fuss is about.


----------



## Shemp75 (May 26, 2012)

Straight Up Cigars said:


> People generally recommend aging at 69/70 and then placing in a "dry box" at 65 or less prior to smoking.


My Stash is in the 60-65% rh range and smoke beautiful.

69/70 is WAY to high


----------



## elco69 (May 1, 2013)

I went from 70% to 65% about 6 months ago and that is also when I went from 1-2 sticks a week to 4-6. I thoroughly enjoy it at 65% so much better and I also keep my CC's 63% in my coolidor.


----------



## Whiskey (May 6, 2014)

65% is my target as well. They taste and burn better.


----------



## NormH3 (Apr 20, 2015)

Have never used anything but 65%. See no reason to change.


----------



## Negatron (Jul 3, 2015)

I use 69% in my traveldor and I exist in a world of burn issues and stalling cigars. I've never ran a 65%, but most of my issues point to too high RH. I plan on ordering a 65% in the near future. Take my anecdotal evidence with a grain of salt if you will, but I'm not really liking my results with a 69% pack.


----------



## SDR88 (Mar 13, 2015)

I use 65% and 68 degrees. Everything burns fine and taste great.


----------



## Carolus Rex (Jun 19, 2015)

My humidors are at 69%, I am going to take the Wineador down to 65%, so I am hoping to experience all the goodness y'all rave about at that RH.


----------



## elco69 (May 1, 2013)

Carolus Rex said:


> My humidors are at 69%, I am going to take the Wineador down to 65%, so I am hoping to experience all the goodness y'all rave about at that RH.


RH is how you personally like it. Before dropping your whole wineador down, I would take a few of your sticks out and place them in a tupperware with a 65% Boveda, give it a month to acclimate and try it out. If you like it, go ahead and drop your wineador down.


----------



## Carolus Rex (Jun 19, 2015)

elco69 said:


> RH is how you personally like it. Before dropping your whole wineador down, I would take a few of your sticks out and place them in a tupperware with a 65% Boveda, give it a month to acclimate and try it out. If you like it, go ahead and drop your wineador down.


Good idea, I will give that a try.

Just speculating, I do think it will be an improvement as some of the sticks that I have had for the last month at 69% have been going out. Some are due to inattention, but others are prolly too humid. It isn't happening consistently, but I had to relight an Epernay 4 times, which was a tad frustrating.


----------



## elco69 (May 1, 2013)

Carolus Rex said:


> Good idea, I will give that a try.
> 
> Just speculating, I do think it will be an improvement as some of the sticks that I have had for the last month at 69% have been going out. Some are due to inattention, but others are prolly too humid. It isn't happening consistently, but I had to relight an Epernay 4 times, which was a tad frustrating.


Sounds like high RH to me. Cigars going out on me used to happen all the time after the change, it is a rarity.


----------



## steve2jenny (May 2, 2015)

Thanks for the input. I will set up some of the daily/ more frequent smokes in a Tupperware and verify the difference. As suggested if it is a deliverance I will keep the long term storage at 69% and have the others at 65% if it works out.


----------



## Old Smokey (Sep 13, 2013)

Count me in the 63-65 group. I noticed the change in the taste and burn the most once the cigars had time to fully acclimate to the lower RH. I highly recommend giving it a try if you are currently in the 68-70 range and see if you notice the improvement. It took my cigars at least 6 weeks to fully acclimate.


----------



## hans hammer (Oct 29, 2013)

69-70 is WAY to wet for me. 63 has given me amazing results


----------



## Negatron (Jul 3, 2015)

Old Smokey said:


> Count me in the 63-65 group. I noticed the change in the taste and burn the most once the cigars had time to fully acclimate to the lower RH. I highly recommend giving it a try if you are currently in the 68-70 range and see if you notice the improvement. It took my cigars at least 6 weeks to fully acclimate.


Im ordering a 65 tomorrow morning. Just spent 2 hours maintaining a RoMa Craft Chromagnon, ran like usain bolt and had to relight over 5 times. If the 65 changes my game like this, I'm officially calling 69% a ****ing nightmare.


----------



## Old Smokey (Sep 13, 2013)

Negatron said:


> Im ordering a 65 tomorrow morning. Just spent 2 hours maintaining a RoMa Craft Chromagnon, ran like usain bolt and had to relight over 5 times. If the 65 changes my game like this, I'm officially calling 69% a ****ing nightmare.


If you smoke outside and have high humidity it can make keeping around 70 even more of a problem. Just imagine the humidity you draw into an already damp cigar. Hard to keep lit and sometimes will cause the wrapper to split as the cigar expands from the combination of moisture and heat.

Our humidity has been extremely high the last few weeks and temps mid 90's. Not very comfortable for smoking outdoors. Extreme summer and winter can be tough smoking seasons for me.


----------



## Dual-500 (Feb 20, 2012)

Personally, I use 68-69% for aging and 65% for smoking. They burn, draw and taste better to me at 65%. Many interpret 70% as a target, it's not a target value at all, it's a maximum value. Less is better.

What Old Smokey said above.

Too much moisture makes them taste bitter and acidic to me - and some hemorrhage.


----------



## Negatron (Jul 3, 2015)

Old Smokey said:


> If you smoke outside and have high humidity it can make keeping around 70 even more of a problem. Just imagine the humidity you draw into an already damp cigar. Hard to keep lit and sometimes will cause the wrapper to split as the cigar expands from the combination of moisture and heat.
> 
> Our humidity has been extremely high the last few weeks and temps mid 90's. Not very comfortable for smoking outdoors. Extreme summer and winter can be tough smoking seasons for me.


The closed sun room that constitutes our smoke room doesn't have AC or heat, so primary airflow is open windows and fans, and it's been a pretty wet summer. I'm hoping storing them differently will help, as my environmental options are limited.

Anyone know of some solid sites that sell Boveda singles? Usually I go to amazon but them and other smoke shops seem to only sell the small ones in packs of 5 to 10.


----------



## Old Smokey (Sep 13, 2013)

Negatron said:


> The closed sun room that constitutes our smoke room doesn't have AC or heat, so primary airflow is open windows and fans, and it's been a pretty wet summer. I'm hoping storing them differently will help, as my environmental options are limited.
> 
> Anyone know of some solid sites that sell Boveda singles? Usually I go to amazon but them and other smoke shops seem to only sell the small ones in packs of 5 to 10.


You can order Bovedas direct from bovedainc.com

If you can swing it you might consider buying more than one. Why? The more you use the longer they last before needing recharged, which takes a few days to recharge. What are you going to use while they are recharging? The more you use the quicker they will recover the Rh in your storage device. No matter how many you use they will never humidify beyond their designated level. This is why I suggest getting several if it is feasible. Makes cigar life much more simple and worry free.


----------



## Dual-500 (Feb 20, 2012)

^ What he said x2.

As an example, in my Wineador for aging I use large freezer bags with a full box of 25 cigars in them and seal shut. Not inside humidor that resides within wine cooler- the bags are placed inside cooler but outside the internal humidor to save that space for cigars that are ready to smoke.

Inside the sealed freezer bags with 25 cigars are 69% Boveda bags, the large ones. One bag per 25 cigars is the Boveda ratio that will work. However, to seal them up and forget about them until they are "Ripe", I use 4 large 69% Boveda badge per freezer bag of 25 cigars so there is no concern of bags drying out during the aging process - nor do I have to open them or disturb in any way. Being inside the Winador keeps temperature stable which in turn keeps RH stable and curing/aging stable.

Same with media in the cooler itself - two meatloaf pans of kitty litter - maintains constant RH level for months without any moisture addition needed.


----------



## hotrodsmoke (Jun 9, 2015)

I think I am going for 65%. but is it good for aging?


----------



## Shemp75 (May 26, 2012)

hotrodsmoke said:


> but is it good for aging?


aging is 7-15+years

do you really intend to keep cigars that long?


----------



## Jade Falcon (Jul 16, 2015)

So how long will it take a cigar to assimilate (if that's the right word to use) to 65% in a tupperdore if bought from a B&M with high humidity? I had an Ashton Classic 8-9-8 yesterday that absolutely fought me to stay lit, split the wrapper, and unfurled the wrapper slightly. The ash was also rock solid, and the draw was awful (which I blame a poor cut on the cap on my part). That cigar fluctuated since I bought it on the 30th of June from 59% to 70%, and only sat at 65% for probably 2 weeks at the least.

The other Ashton Classic, a Magnum that I have that I also bought on the 30th, I'm going to let sit in my Tupperdore for probably another two weeks before I smoke it.

Also, my Tupperdore is sitting solid at 65% with a Boveda pack, according to my Caliber IV Hygrometer, which I have not calibrated. I opened my tupperdore twice yesterday to put cigars in and take them out, and move a couple around. Yet the humidity did not show fluctuating at all on the hygrometer. Is that just a sign of good humidity, or is there something wrong with the hygrometer? I took it out for a few minutes and put it on a window sill with an open window just to test it, and it dropped a few degrees and went up to 70% RH. Then I put it back into my tupperdore and it dropped back down to 65%.


----------



## steve2jenny (May 2, 2015)

How long will it take to bring the RH TO 65% from 69 with Boveda in a humidor? I have about 40 cigars in one humidor that I would like to bring down to 65.


----------



## lostmedic (Apr 27, 2015)

couple weeks most likely


----------



## Dual-500 (Feb 20, 2012)

lostmedic said:


> couple weeks most likely


Yeah, that's been my experience - if left alone, 2-3 weeks does the trick.


----------



## steve2jenny (May 2, 2015)

Good deal I was thinking it would be longer.


----------



## Dual-500 (Feb 20, 2012)

steve2jenny said:


> Good deal I was thinking it would be longer.


That's assuming the sticks are in decent condition and not too far off the mark.


----------

